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Custom Power Wheelchair Transfer System

Happy New Year Everyone! Welcome to the first post of the year 2015! As some of you may know, we are expecting our first little one in January 2015! My husband and I just moved and life has been busy in December….hence my MIA status. I still have lots to share with you over the next year but the posts may be a bit less frequent…but hang in there! Seating will continue to be super!

As a welcome back, I thought I would share some photos from Access Community Therapists’ Wheelchair Seating & Positioning Workshop that took place on November 27th and 28th at Motion Specialties. It was another great turnout and we just wanted to say THANK YOU to our client educators for helping us out again.

Wheelchair Seating & Positioning: Practical Applications

Wheelchair Seating & Positioning: Practical Applications

Wheelchair Seating & Positioning: Practical Applications

Wheelchair Seating & Positioning: Practical Applications

Wheelchair Seating & Positioning: Practical Applications

So, here is a system that was finished right before Christmas last year (2014). It was a custom transfer system that was fabricated on a Permobil M300 base. This base was provided by Fran Wilson, Sales Representative from Self Care Home Health Products. Chad Kania, Seating Technician, from Ability Health Care created the transfer system and built the custom seating system. This system was made for a client with Achondroplasia (Dwarfism). The goals of the system were to:

1) To improve her comfort and positioning
2) To improve her ability to transfer independently
3) To improve her ability to function independently in and around her home

Prior to this, this client had an 18″ wide x 18″ deep, standard power wheelchair with basic seating. She required the use of a step stool to get into it and sat in the system with her legs completely extended and made no contact with the backrest. This was causing her back pain as she essentially sat completely unsupported. Also, in order to get into the system itself, she needed someone to help her get the step stool every time she needed to transfer.

The biggest obstacle was of course….FUNDING! With some good old fashioned OT letter writing, this system was eventually cost shared by the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation and Community Living BC. MSDSI funded the wheelchair base and seating (The Permobil M300 with tilt and the seating system), while CLBC funded the power transfer system. YAY!

The seating system consisted of a foam-in-place backrest with fixed, flat, trunk laterals. The seat was made from carved foam. It was made with a custom drop at the front to allow for a bend at the clients’ knees. Pelvic laterals were also used to guide the clients’ pelvis into the system when she transferred.

Foam in place backrest after foam was poured

side profile of poured foam

Foam in place backrest after trimming, with trunk laterals

Once the foam-in-place backrest and seat were fabricated, trialed, trimmed down and upholstered, here is what it looked like:

Custom power wheelchair transfer system in driving position

Custom power wheelchair transfers system side view

Custom power wheelchair transfer system other side view

Chad Kania working hard!

Once the seating was completed, custom armrests were made. The standard armrests were used as transfer aids. Custom mounting of the joystick was also needed to get it into a optimal position for driving. In addition, the foot platform was created with a roller blade wheel was installed at the bottom to prevent the system from scratching the wood floors in the home.

Custom power wheelchair transfer system: Completed!

Since this system was delivered to the client, she has been using it for a variety of activities around her home such as:

i) Getting her coat out of the closet independently
ii) transferring in and out of bed independently
iii) using the sink in the bathroom
iv) getting to the table for meals and snacks independently
v) opening and closing doors independently

Hearing about all of these functional activities was like an OT dream! Here is a video of the system. This should help with visualizing how this system actually works!